Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Relavant conventions which Botswana is not party to
<strong>Convention</strong> on migratory
species
1.5 SITE SELECTION
6
1979 The <strong>Convention</strong> on the Conservation of
Migratory Species of Wild Animals
(also known as CMS or Bonn
<strong>Convention</strong>) aims to conserve
terrestrial, marine and avian migratory
species throughout their range. It is an
intergovernmental treaty, concluded
under the aegis of the United Nations
Environment Programme, concerned
with the conservation of wildlife and
habitats on a global scale
The <strong>Okavango</strong> provides habitat for a number of
migratory species especially avi-fauna. The maintance
of the <strong>Delta</strong> is crucial for the conservation of these
species. Some of the species have the potential to
transmit diseases hence this convention is critical.
The <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> was selected as a wetland of international importance in accordance
with the <strong>Ramsar</strong> <strong>Convention</strong> which identifies a wetland of international importance in
terms of ecology, botany, zoology and limnology or hydrology.
The <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> is an inland drainage system which is important for approximately
1300 plant species, 71 fish species, 33 amphibians, 64 reptiles, 444 birds and 122
mammals.
The <strong>Delta</strong> also contains high densities of large mammal species particularly elephant. It is
the habitat of one of the largest remaining populations of the African wild dog (Lycaon
pictus) and is a stronghold for the Sitatunga antelope (Tragelaphus spekii) and the Nile
crocodile (Crocodilus niloticus). One endemic reptile species, the Tsodilo Gecko
(Pachydactylus tsodiloensis), has been identified. Two resident bird species, the Wattled
Crane (Burgeranus carunculatus) and the Slaty Egret (Egretta vinaceiqula), are globally
threatened.
The currently known flora of the <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> comprises about 1300 taxa on the species
and lower levels, of which 1260 taxa are on the species level. They belong to 530 genera
and 134 families. One near endemic has been identified, the ground orchid (Habenaria
pasmithii).
1.6 PLANNING COORDINATION, APPROACH AND PROCESS
1.6.1 PLANNING COORDINATION
The custodian of the ODMP is the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism (MEWT).
The development of the ODMP was guided by the Department of Environmental Affairs
(DEA) through a Project Secretariat in Maun.
The ODMP spans the functions relating to policy direction, communication, research, data
management, participatory planning, water resources, wildlife management, vegetation
resources, sustainable tourism, community based natural resources management
(CBNRM), fisheries management, settlement planning, land management, waste
management and livestock management. The ODMP planning was primarily driven by the
desire to address the identified management issues. These issues, which were identified
through stakeholder consultation, provided the basis for the key ODMP components which
are tabulated in Table 1-4.